The present invention relates to food product forming apparatus and more particularly to a unique rotary apparatus and method for forming shaped potato products on a continuous basis.
Various machines and/or methods have been proposed in the past for the fabrication of shaped potato food products. For example, machines have been developed for fabricating potato patties from potato shreds. An example of one such machine may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,308, entitled PATTY MAKING MACHINE and issued on June 29, 1971 to Verhoeven. A machine of the type disclosed in this patent is capable of fabricating generally rectangular in plan potato patties from a potato shred mixture. The machine includes a pair of opposed, counter-rotating compacting rollers and cooperating endless belts to fabricate a relatively wide strip of product.
Due to the physical characteristics of the various possible mixtures of potato dough or slurry materials, rotary die machines have not been employed to fabricate french fries from a potato dough. Certain economical advantages are obtained from forming a french fry-type product from a dough mixture. These advantages are primarily related to lack of waste and more complete use of the potato. A typical potato dough from which french fries may be formed would include peeled, sliced and cooked potatoes which are riced through a grinder and then mixed with potato flakes, binders and seasonings. Heretofore, the potato industry has mass-produced only a single type of french fry from such a dough material on a continuous basis. French fries are produced either in a square or rectangular shape or as crinkle cut shapes having high and low ridges. The crinkle cut french fry may be more appealing to the consumer and due to its larger surface area may be crispy when fried. Screw piston-type extruders have been employed to fabricate a rectangular or square shaped or plain french fry only. Further, roll-type extruders manufactured by the assignee of the present invention have also been employed to fabricate such plain french fry products. These machines and the machine of the type disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,308 are incapable of fabricating on a continuous basis a french fry having a crinkle cut shape.